Bonfire Tarot

Take an exciting trip through an extravaganza of 78 vivid and
expertly hand-painted tarot cards inspired by the vintage,
old school tattoo flash of Sailor Jerry Collins.

~ Quote from the back of the box

 

 

Title: Bonfire Tarot

Author: Gabi Angus-West

Illustrator: Gabi Angus-West

Publisher: Schiffer Publishing

 

• The Bonfire Tarot, a 78 tarot card deck so farfetched that includes the most lucid and vivid artwork that will never let you keep your eyes off of it.
• There are far too many cards to choose from in this tarot deck. As I was going through the deck of cards, I saw a card that appealed to me. This card is the Chariot. In this image, we have a man looking to his left. With him are two dogs that appear to be Bull Dogs. Much like the original image, one dog is black and the other is white. Next to the man there is a wheel that belongs to a carriage. This card tells you about movement and indicates places where you need to be at.
• The second card that I found interesting and very familiar is the Four of Cups. In this image, there is a woman with short blonde hair combed in a 1950’s style. She wears a pink dress and lays on her side dipping her hand in the water.  The character in this card reminds me of Marilyn Monroe. The four of cups speaks about boredom and apathy.
• The last card is the Page of Cups. This image is so cute. Here we have a young blond girl who is by the seaside and wears a red beret (I own one, lol). Out from her cup an orange fish jumps up and she looks at him go. When this card appears, this indicates of feeling emotionally high, having or knowing something that you love so dearly.
• The back of the cards is reversible and they consist of two bones at cross roads. The color theme is black and white. On top and bottom of the card the word ‘Bone Fire Tarot’ is mirrored.

• The texture of the cards semi-sturdy and shuffle well. The size of the cards is approximately under 5 ½ x 3 ¾ inches.
• The cards, along with the book are stored in blue beribboned magnet box that is hard and sturdy.
• The text booklet which is in color includes 192 pages and, is written by Gabi Angus-West. Let me start off by saying that the book is filled with such information for all the cards. The book starts off with a Preface called, “A Warm Welcome” and includes two topics “Tattoo and the Tarot” and “Hook, Line and Sinker”. Then we are introduced to the major arcana and minor arcana. For each page dedicated to the cards, there is the image of the card on the left-hand side. Next to it is the title of card in red letter and underneath the title there are brief sentences that sum up the meaning of the card. Underneath all that is an elaborated meaning of each card and even some information as to how the images came to be. There are spreads included are, Wooden Eye’s One-Card Wonder, Beltane Three-Card Spread and Bonefire Eight Card Enlightener. Then there is a section called “Cherry Flavored Truth Bombs”. Last we are introduced to a glossary of symbols that appear throughout the cards.
• The illustrations are done by Gabo Angus-West. The medium for the artwork appears to be a blend of paints such as acrylics and other elements.
• I knew of this tarot when it was self-published and was very popular. Every time that I wanted to buy a copy, something stopped me. And now, I own my very own copy of this extravagant artsy tarot deck. Every card and its images are so crispy and full of life and color that it is very hard not to keep your eyes off it. Time may be lost or blended with in each card. What I loved so much about the book is that the creator lets us in how she managed and what she wanted to initiate before creating the images for each card. I f you are looking for a tarot deck with a different type of artwork that is soft on the eyes, but wild on the imagination, get this deck right here!

 

© 2010 – 2016 J. R. Rivera
Reproduction prohibited without written permission from the author.

The WayCard Oracle

Varied themes – Child, Nest, Hero Crossroads, Threshold,
Betrayal, Earth, Air, Fire, and
Water – reflect your journey.

~ Quote from the back of the box

Title: The WayCard Oracle
A Guide to the Inner Journey

Author: Martha Winona Travers

Illustrator: Martha Winona Travers

Publisher: Schiffer Publishing

 

• The WayCard Oracle is a unique and simple deck of cards that features 33 ordinary illustrated cards that depictures keywords for our better judgment.

• I can’t say much about the illustrations on the cards since there are not any. The illustrations are done by Martha Winona Travers. All cards have the same background/templet. The background is white and there is faded gray arrow pointing north. In the middle of the image and for all 33 cards, there is a keyword that is used for divination.

• The back of the cards is not reversible and it bares the same background/templet as the front of the card. Only that in the background color is a forest green and the arrow pointing north is a gold color.

• The texture of the cards is semi-sturdy and shuffle well. The cards are matted and feel really nice. They are approximately “4 X 5”.

• The cards are stored in a beribboned magnetic box.

• The text booklet is written by Martha Winona Travers. This book contains 96 pages. The book starts off with a Foreword, a Preface and an Introduction. Then you are introduced to a “Table of Correspondence”. Then to a section called “How to Use the Cards” and here are included two spreads called “Patterns” and “Three Cards”. Then you are brought to a section called “Interpretation of the Waycards”, this will give you the meanings to all 33 cards. For each chapter you will see the title of the card, a group of keywords (other than the ones written for each card), a quote from a philosopher or author and an a lengthy description.

• I’m pretty impressed by this oracle deck. I don’t recall ever seeing anything so simple before. When I learned that it had 33 cards, I thought it was one of those French/Lenormand oracles. Then seeing the cover of it, I thought it had to do with something Celtic or nature oriented. The book is well written and it explains perfectly what the cards mean. Some people may be put off that it does not include any illustrations, but think of it this way, all that empty white space serves to write notes, what the cards mean. If you are interested in picking up this oracle deck, click here!

 

© 2010 – 2016 J. R. Rivera
Reproduction prohibited without written permission from the author.

First Light Tarot

Take your readings to new levels by
exploring the depths of the infinite self
while also reaching out into the comes…

~ Quote from the back of the box

Title: First Light Tarot

Author: Dinah Roseberry

Illustrator: NASA & ESA

Publisher: Schiffer Publishing

• The First Light Tarot is a wonderful and inventive tarot deck that features 66 cards (yes, 66 cards). It is a new system that takes a whole new different approach, but somehow, someway, it remains influenced from the traditional tarot system.

• The first card from the deck known as the fool has an interesting illustration. There is what seems to be some sort of space shuttle. This shuttle just stands in the middle of space, where everything is pitch dark. The shuttle is silver. I have a small theory as to why it was chosen to represent the fool. That shuttle is going into space, not know what it will find or encounter. It’s off to an adventure, a journey. The sub-title for this card is “voyager” (that’s self-explanatory). The three keywords attached to this card are, Journey, Progress and Pathways.

• Another card that I found wired and interesting is called “Portal”. The illustration for this card is has what appears to be silver stars and matter all around the card. But in the center of the image and of all that silver matter, there is a small black hole. The keyword for this card is called “Passageways” Yep, that’s pretty obvious.

• The last card is from a different division of the deck. This card and the division have to do with cards that are used for tarot spreads. The title of this card is called “Who May Hurt?” The illustration features black space, but there are matters that look as if there are flames in space. They look beautiful to me! Fire in space!

• The back of the cards are reversible. The illustration for the back of the card consists of white/silver stars that are spread throughout the image.
• The texture of the cards not so sturdy, nor are they flimsy, but they do shuffle decently. The cards are approximately a little under “4 x 6”.

• The storage box for this cards is sturdy! It is one of Schiffer’s many popular storage boxes. A be-ribboned hard cover case that closes with magnates.

• The text booklet is written by Dinah Roseberry (editor of Schiffer Publishing). The companion booklet features 96 pages. All pictures and text within the book are colored. The book starts off with “Acknowledgments”. Then with an “Author’s Note” section that gives a little bit of information about this tarot deck. Then with “This Deck’s First Light” that give a little bit of additional information. Then there is a section for “Spreads” where it gives the user tips on how to conduct spreads. Some of the card spreads don’t have names, which you will need to memorize how to lay them out. There are two spreads that are named, one of them is called ‘Spread Cards’ and the other is ‘A Universal Spread’. There are also pages dedicated for the following, “Meditation”, “The Images”, “The Reading Process”, “What You Can Expect from This Deck” and some information about a reference sheet that is included with this deck. This reference sheet is more like a sheet-cheat. Last, you are introduced to the cards and their meanings. In the pages that are dedicated the cards, you have the image of the card on the left hand side and at the bottom, there’s a block that gives the name of the card and the meaning. On the right hand side, you the description. For example, “Keywords”, Upright and Reversed meanings and Advice. On some of the major arcana, you will have the Astrological sign along with a time frame.

• The illustrations are photographs borrowed from NASA to accommodate for this tarot deck. This are real photos and they are not altered in any way or form.

• When I heard of this new tarot deck and its system, I must admit that I was very confused. I thought it was an oracle deck. But as I had the chance and time to use it, I was surprised just how well it works and functions like a tarot deck! There is even Astrology and Numerology featured in this tarot deck. I know that there are lots of readers who dislike the court cards, well guess what? You can now say goodbye to the court cards because they are not featured in this deck. For those who like NASA and space imagery, this tarot deck features 66 images of space. It also features keywords to make the meanings easy to remember. Don’t hesitate and buy this tarot deck here!

 

© 2010 – 2016 J. R. Rivera
Reproduction prohibited without written permission from the author.

Justice League Tarot

Title: Justice League Tarot

Author: N/A

Illustrator: Sara Richard

Publisher: DC Collectibles

• These superheroes and villains are here to give you important messages….

• The Justice League Tarot features 78 wonderfully illustrated tarot cards. In these cards, there are both good and bad guys and girls who want to speak with you.

• After going through the deck the first card I pulled aside was The Emperor. Why? Well here is why. The Emperor is not my favorite card, but my favorite superhero was incorporated in the emperor card. Who is my superhero? Aqua Man! Why is he in the emperor card? Because he protects and governs the sea and is able to communicate telepathically with sea animals who can be his allies when fighting the forces of evil. I’ve always liked Aqua Man because he can swim countless hours and days in water and at a fast rate. And he does not need oxygen. But like seal or a lion dog (lol) he can also survive on land. I’ve always loved water and I like mermaids, so Aqua Man is the closes thing to a male mermaid.

• The next card that many tarot readers will find interesting is the 2 of Swords. Here’s a superhero (I do not know who she is) who is a tarot reader. She has her eyes closed and laid out in her table, in front of her, are three tarot (or oracle) cards. Very interesting.

• The last card is the Page of Swords and the character that was used for this card is Robin (Batman’s side-kick). He is on top of rail in a skyscraper and he looks upset, very mysterious with a vigilant eye. Behind him is that light that they shine when they need Batman’s help.

• The back of the cards are reversible. The design for the cards consists a different shades color blue. There are to circles on is on the lower left hand side and the other one is on the upper left hand side. It is basically a mirrored image.

• The texture of the cards are very sturdy. They are not ridged nor flimsy. They have a matted feel. The shuffling holds up very well. The size of the cards are approximately 3” x 5”.

• The storage box for this cards is sturdy! The box has a lid that you have to pull with your fingers in order to access the cards. The cards are stored inside a compartment in the center of the box and a black velvet-like bag rests on top of the cards.

• Unfortunately there is no companion book or little white book that accompanies this deck.

• The illustrations are done by Sara Richards. The illustration are done by hand and by color pencils.

• When I heard of this tarot deck, I just had to have it! And thanks to a friend of mine by the name of Sammy, he gifted it to me as a Christmas present! To me, this deck is precious and I see it as the 6 of Pentacles because it beings me many childhood memories. When my siblings and I were young, we would stay up to watch reruns of the Justice League cartoon. Our toys were the justice league action figures and so were our clothes. So owning this tarot deck and going through the cards, I get a flood of memories. Even the characters that my siblings were a fan of are featured in this tarot deck. On a side note, as I mentioned earlier about lacking a guidebook, don’t let that discourage you from owning this tarot deck. But let me give you some tips that may help. If you are a seasoned tarot reader then you can do without a manual, but if you are starting off, you will need another book that provides the meanings of the cards. Or to save you money, there like billions of internet sources and YouTube videos that can help you learn the meanings. Now, I know that the lack of a manual for this tarot deck will makes it difficult to know who the characters are in each card. But there’s some hope. On your free time, you can visit this website http://www.dccomics.com/characters and there you will find a LONG list of D.C. characters. You can also read their biography and background story. This will help you create a connection to this tarot deck. For a lack of companion book, there is a black velvet like tarot bag to store your cards in and carry with you. To buy this tarot deck, click here!

© 2010 – 2016 J. R. Rivera
Reproduction prohibited without written permission from the author.

The Ring Cycle Tarot

The Ring of the Ribelung, which traces the mythic tale of a
golden ring of unlimited power plagued by a deadly curse,
loose in the world of the Old Norse and Germanic gods.

~Quote from the back of the box

Title: The Ring Cycle Tarot

Author: Richard Wagner and Allegra Printz

Illustrator: Arthur Rackham

Publisher: Schiffer Publishing

• Here is a musical drama, waiting to unfold itself to you…

• The Ring Cycle Tarot is a beautifully done tarot deck that features 78 cards. These card are not just any ordinary cards, each cards portrays and tells a story. You just have to listen to it.

• From the deck, a card which I found very interesting and with a classic, yet new concept is the “Devil” card which bears the title “Ring of Power”. In this image there is redhead (or blond) maiden who is wearing a nice white gown. She is somewhere in the woods and is sitting on her keens. She is obsessively kissing a ring on her finger. In most traditional tarot decks, you usually see the devil himself in the cards, holding two people hostage. The devil card talks about being materialistic, which correlates with the image in this card. When this card appears in a reading, it signifies that you have the devil on your shoulder, convincing you to do things you shouldn’t do.

• The next card that I found intriguing is the 5 of Walsungs (5 of Cups). This card is known as “Sieglinde Lost in the Snow”. In this card there is a redhead maiden who looks helpless about something that she witnessed or experienced. Her hair is a mess and her white dresses is even a bigger mess. She is crawling on the floor for safety. It appears that behind her, there is a black opening to a cave (or a portal). This card represents that you are in need of support from a situation which you cannot find a way out.

• The last card which I thought was powerful was the Queen of Gods (known as the Queen of Wands). The image is just so powerful! Here he have a young woman who is throwing her arms up in the air. It appears that she is surrounded by flames, even her gown appears to entwine with the flames. She rides a horse who also entwines with the flames. Though, both of them are immune to the flames. It does not burn them, but empowers them. This card represents that there is a situation which is calling to you, you can be eccentric and take it on, but do it with moderation.

• The back of the cards are reversible. The design is simple, yet classy. The background is blue, but there is a yellow mirrored image of a woman (possibly a Valkyrie).

• The texture of the cards is very sturdy! They shuffle wonderful! They also have a nice mattered coat. The size of the cards are a bit larger in length (keep that in mind for those who have small hands. But don’t let it stop you, there are many ways to shuffle the cards). The large length of the cards favors and displays the art beautifully. You get to see and spot such nice details within the art.

• The storage box for this cards is very nice and sturdy! The box holds itself with ribbons and the lid is magnetic. The cards rest in one slot on the right hand side and the book rests on left hand slot.

• Before I begin to review the book, I did not know where to start!!! This book is crammed with such wonderful information. The book contains a total of 254 pages. The book starts with a nicely written “Preface and Introduction”. Then you come across Chapter 1 titled, “The Epic Background” (And yes, the title is self-explanatory.) In here you will sections called, “On My Card Choices”, “Circle of Ring Possession: Through the Epic”, “Laying Out The Cards”, “Plot Synopses of the Four-Part Ring of the Nibelung” and that section informs you about “The Valkyrie”, “Siegfried”, “Twilight of the Gods”. Then Chapter 2 begins and is called “The Cards and Divinatory Meanings”. Then you are provided with three card spreads that are called, “The 3 Norns Spread”, The Nibelung Smithing Spread, and the “Ring Magical Implement Spread”. Chapter 3 is called the “Appendices” where sources were gotten to create this tarot deck and book. It also provides you with very useful information in case you are not aware of the Richard Wagner and his Ring of the Nibelung.

• The illustrations for the cards are adapted from illustrations by Arthur Rackham.

• This tarot deck is one that I found very interesting, and to be honest, very unusual (and I mean that in a good way!) It is very uncommon to find tarot decks that are based on another source. I find decks like this very unique, because if you think about it, imagine all the information that the creator has to invest and investigate! What I like about the companion book is that it starts off like some musical play. You have sections that are introduced as “Scene1”, “Scene 2”. If you are familiar with The Ring of Nibelung or have an interest in musical theater, acquire this tarot deck by clicking here!

 

© 2010 – 2016 J. R. Rivera
Reproduction prohibited without written permission from the author.

Tarot D: The Didactic Tarot

It transforms into a fully illustrated epic
poem or story as you experience
“Being. Doing. Thinking. Feel. Pause, and Changing.
Within iconic imagery.

~Quote from the back of the box

 

Title: Tarot D: The Didactic Tarot

Author: Jeffrey M. Donato

Illustrator: Jeffrey M. Donato

Publisher: Schiffer Publishing

• Experience life changing transformations…

• Tarot D: The Didactic Tarot features 102 brilliantly illustrated cards. In these cards, you will transcend into a world unlike anything you’ve seen before. This tarot deck is not your ordinary and traditional tarot deck.

• The card I saw and liked (and I know everybody will like), was the High Priestess. In this image she’s in her birth suit. She has wings on back that three colors, red, blue and yellow. She has white hair representing her wisdom. There is a green cobra watching out for her. In this tarot she is called “Vision of the Whispering Dreams” She basically represents the interpretation in the RW.

• The next card that I liked is take from the one of the bonus cards. These card is called “Erosion” and it has green sea turtle, a white tiger with what appears to be a make Viking riding on top of it. The turtle and the tiger are racing, the meaning for this cards should be one that should be taken into consideration. This card tells that you are ending up in a losing everything. In situations, you have no foundation to stand on and everything you’ve worked for is slowly being taken away.

• The last card is one of my favorite for obvious reasons. This card is from the suit of pentacles and it is the King of Pentacles that is called “The Master of Earth”. Why do I like this card? Because the zodiac Capricorn is incorporated in this card! Why else! (Lol). The Capricorn looks gorgeous! He has a look on his face like, “don’t mess with me!” He has his mermaid tailed attached to him and has a fox on top of him and a bouquet of roses below him. The interpretation for this card is the same as the traditional King of Cups.

• The back of the cards are reversible. The design is beautiful and very colorful. In the center of the image there is a blue circle and at the top, left, right and bottom of the circle there is what I call and elementary symbol (fire, water, earth and air). By far, the illustration for the back of the cards is very appealing.

• The texture of the cards are semi sturdy. They are not flimsy, but to allow easy flexibility to shuffle the cards. They have a nice coating that almost feels like leather with velvet. The shuffling holds up very well. The size of the cards are approximately 4” x 6”.

• The storage box for this cards is very nice and sturdy! The box holds itself with ribbons and the lid is magnetic. Half of the cards rest inside the box on the left and right sections. The companion booklet rests on top the cards.

• The companion book for this tarot deck is written by Jeffrey M. Donato and it has a total of 160 pages. The book is printed in full color, making it very appealing to read. The companion book is well organized. In the book there is “Acknowledgment” page and the “Contents”, then a “Foreword” written by the lovely and creator of the Pearls of Wisdom tarot deck, Roxi Sim. Then we see a “Preface” and an “Introduction”. We then come across Chapter 1 called, “Convitalis: the Great Book of Life.” (Keep in mind that in chapter one you will see four illustrations, but they are not included as card in the tarot deck.) Chapter 2 introduces you “The Fable of Fires: Be”. Chapter 3 introduces you to “The Epic of Earth: Do”. Chapter 4 introduces you to “The Anecdote of Air: Think”. Chapter 5 introduces you to “The Words of Water: Feel”. Chapter 6 introduces you to the NEW suit called “The Diffusion: Pause”. (This new suit only features 12 cards.) The last chapter, Chapter 7, introduces you to “The Tale of Time: Change.” Then there is a section called “Usage” and it gives you tips and pointers on how to use these cards and it includes four cards which are, a four card spread, the question spread, and the Celtic cross.

• The illustrations are done by Jeffrey M. Donato. All the illustrations on done by his hands and use a mix of art styles like ink, chalk, and pastels.

• I’m very pleased with this tarot deck. When I found out that is contains 102 (24 extra cards) I could not believe it! It has been a while that I’ve used or seen a tarot deck with so many cards! What caught my attention was the companion. It is easy to read and follow, but for being 160 pages, there is so much information for each card. I’m going to list some of the things that makes this tarot deck different from the rest. There are a total of 24 extra cards that makes this deck. Keep in mind that the pipes (1-10, knights-kings) are introduced first, then the majors are introduced last. There is also an extra suit that contains 12 cards. This suit falls in between the pipes and majors. Each pipe (wands, swords, cups and pentacles has two extra cards, one appears before the “Ace” card and the other one appears before the “Knight” card. As I mentioned before, there is an additional suit card and it is called “Diffusion” and contains 12 cards. There is an extra card in the majors, at the beginning of the “Fool” Card. The Magician has four alternative cards. The two of each court cards has an astrological character associated with it. If you are looking for a tarot deck that stirs away from, but remains close to tradition, I highly recommend this tarot deck. It is worth it. To buy click here!

 

© 2010 – 2016 J. R. Rivera
Reproduction prohibited without written permission from the author.

Tarot Gothica

Understand your shadows and lights,
your own Devil and God,
your fears and strengths.

~Quote from the back of the box

Title: Tarot Gothica

Author: Janne Koivuniemi

Illustrator: Janne Koivuniemi

Publisher: Schiffer Publishing

• Come into the dark, there are wonderful things for you to see…

• The Tarot Gothica features 78 illustrations of entities who are wanting to cross over and have you heed their messages.

• The illustration for the Chariot brings me memories of 80’s and 90’s rock bands. In this image there are four women who are dressed in black leather pants and satin shirts. On the ground there are three women, a blond, red head, and brunet. The brunet and read head have chains wrapped around their neck that are being held by another woman who is standing up. This woman has her leg on top of the brunet woman’s back. The Chariot talks about movement and control. In the image the woman is controlling the direction of the two women who are on the ground.

• The second illustration for the 4 of Wands reminds me of a messed up wake gone wrong! In this image there is a dead or living female who appears to be comatose that rests on top of a table. She is wearing a black leather and lace dress and has her hands resting on top of her breasts. In between her hands is a red rose. Around the table are family and friends who look at each other cheerfully while drinking their alcoholics drinks. The 4 of Wands talks about celebration and maybe even family gatherings.

• The last illustration 9 of Swords reminds me of a bad horror movie about the dead that reanimate themselves. In this image there is a beautiful woman who wears a scarlet and black dress. Someone or something has decapitated her and all she does is hold her head with her left hand while she looks at us! The 9 of Swords talks about dread and anxiety.

• The design for the back of the cards do not feature a new illustration, which I was slightly disappointed about. The illustration for the back of the cards is the same illustration used for the front cover of the box. Therefore, it is not reversible.

• Regarding the texture of the cards, I’m confused, yet someone what pleased. First, they do not have the same card stock like Schiffer’s previous tarot/oracle decks. The cards are not laminated. When bending and feeling the cards, they feel a tad fragile. But, when they shuffle, they hold up pretty well.

• The card deck and booklet comes in an original small Schiffer packaging box. The lid and bottom have two purple ribbons that hold it together. The cards are stored in a small compartment in the bottom of the box. The book lies on top of the cards. The size of the cards are large and are approximately 3” x 5”.

• The small companion book is written by Janne Koivuniemi and features 80 pages. The companion guide booklet is not difficult to understand and has enough phrases for each interpretation of the cards. Though, there is a bit more information for the Major Arcana cards than there is for the minors. Unfortunately, there is no tarot spread(s) included in the book. The small booklet starts off with a Preface, the meanings for the cards, and a Conclusion.

• The illustrations for the cards are done by Janne Koivuniemi and the medium for the art is computer generated photo manipulation/collage. Which in my opinion it is very good. I’ve seen some other illustrations using the medium for this tarot deck, but this one is done nicely.

• I always have a special place in my heart for dark/Gothic/horror tarot/oracle decks. When I head and saw that this one was going to be released, I got it as soon as it came out. I’m fascinated how it features illustrations that are creepy and dark. Some look very odd and strange, while others are gruesome. Illustrations of lesbians and nudity are also included in the cards, so don’t let it scare you away. As for the quality of the card stock, don’t let it worry you. By shuffling this cards several times, I feel that they will last me a long time. If you want a dark/Gothic/ tarot deck that is easy to read with or for your collection, get a copy of this tarot deck by clicking here!

 © 2010 – 2015 J. R. Rivera
Reproduction prohibited without written permission from the author.

Symbolon Deck

This deck reaches the memories
of the soul, Astroogy, personal
insight, and symbolism
in daily life are revealed through the cards
~ Quote from the box

 

 

Title: Symbolon Deck

Author: Peter Orban & Ingrid Zinnel

Illustrator: Thea Weller

Publisher: AGM Urania/U.S. Games System

Mystical Kipper

The traditional
Kipper cards gleam in a
new mystical splendor.
~Quote from the Box

Title: Mystical Kipper

Author: Regula Elizabeth Fiechter

Illustrator: Urban Trosch

Publisher: AGM Urania/U.S. Games System

• Become entwined and let yourself be wrapped by the art of the Mystical Kipper.

• The Mystical Kipper (sequel to the Mystical Lenormand), features 36 lovely illustrated cards. Each card has two borders, one which is a single color around the image and the second one is more like a frame for pictures. The cards have a number at the top of the cards and the title at the bottom of the cards. Keep in mind that this oracle deck is NOT a Lenormand oracle deck. But much like the Lenormand, this oracle deck has two cards which represent the male, female, and child consultant who are receiving a reading. But again, this oracle decks a different divination approach.

• In this oracle deck, a card that caught my attention was card number 33 titled Gloomy Thoughts. Here we see a man standing at the top of a tall cliff looking down at the sea. Below the sea is a seal. Gloomy thoughts represent when we cannot think clearly or we have a series of sad thoughts which may lead to depression and speaking about depression, it appears that the man on top of the cliff is going to jump to his death!

• The next card is number 28, Expectation. In this card we see the corner of a house and peeking through the window is a young man and outside the house is a dog who lies on the floor. Both appear to be waiting for someone or something. This card tells you that you are waiting for someone or something. There is something that you are highly anticipating but is yet to come to you.

• The last card is an important card for this oracle deck. This card is number 16 titled His Thoughts (because it is titled HIS [thoughts], it does not mean that it represents a male consultant). In this card we have a man who is dressed elegantly and revising himself in front of a mirror. Beside him is a cute penguin to watches as he dresses himself. When this card is next to any of the surrounding cards, it will tell you the persons thoughts. For example, what they think of a particular situation or person.

• The back of the cards are not reversible and the illustration used for the back of the cards has a lavender background which decorated by flowers and inside an oval type of shape is a bluish grey money who holds a crystal ball.

• The size of the cards are 2 1/2″ in height and 1 3/4″ weight. Much like bridge playing cards.

• The cards are absolutely sturdy, flexible, non-glossy and easy to shuffle.

• The box in which these cards come in is an original tuck box

• The Little White Book is written by Regula Elizabeth Fiechter, who also wrote the Little White Book for the Mystical Lenormand. The LWB is very well written and gets to the point of what each card means.

• The illustrations are done Urban Trosch who also illustrated the artwork for the Mystical Lenormand. The artwork is very warm and friendly, but very powerful too. The artwork is of egg tempera technique.

• I’m in all with this oracle deck and just love the way it reads! Regardless if it’s a one or many cards spreads, it gives the answer that I’m looking for. The LWB, which is written by Regula Elizabeth Fiechter is a must read. I like how she explains what the cards mean and how they are every easy to understand and interpret. Anyone of all ages will have fun reading with this oracle deck. 36 cards are just enough to get the answers that you are looking for. What I like the most is that I can combine this oracle deck with the Mystical Lenormand and get more in depth answers, and since both are illustrated by the same illustrator, I can’t even tell the difference (lol). Acquire this small fortune telling deck by clicking here!

  © 2010 – 2015 J. R. Rivera
  Reproduction prohibited without written permission from the author.

Tarot of the Night

 

Everything is not as it seems in the dark of
uncertainty, but if you look close,
the details will come to life and the answers will be
revealed.

~Quote from the box

 

Title: Tarot of the Night

Author: Richard ShadowFox

Illustrator: Richard ShadowFox

Publisher: Schiffer Publishing

• Walk into the night where you will find new and interesting things.

• The Tarot of the Night contains 78 shadow-like, but yet captivating illustrated cards. These cards features creatures of the night like ghosts, vampires, skeletons, and many others.

• A card which I was captivated by was the Death card. In this card, death is riding a brown horse and holding a scythe while looking to his left direction. The sand is red and there is a red sand blowing up into the air. But one minor detail which I found confusing is that in the distance of death and his horse, there is a gold cup? I don’t quit see the connection.

• Next, there’s the 10 of Swords that illustrates a skeleton that is impaled by a sword. This sword has gone through his rib cage and the skeleton has his head bowed down and his body appears to loose its posture and is supporting itself with the sword that is impaled in his rib cage (lol). The skeleton is hold down a sword that’s stuck to the ground and there are five swords laying on the ground and three that are stuck into the ground.

• The other card that caught my attention was the 10 of Pentacles which illustrates what appears to be a “ghostly” family. In this card we have a man who is sitting in a cement throne and standing on his right hand side is what appears to be his wife (or mistress) and in front of her, a child. On his left hand side, the same as his right hand side. A woman and child standing. There are four pentacles adorned in a pillar on his right and left hand sides and two pentacles adorned in his throne above his head.

• The back designs are reversible and are illustrated with what appears to be a skeleton wrapped in yellow/orange blaze. There is what appears to be a coin or medallion that has a cup, sword, and wand stuck to it. In a distance, there is a crescent moon.

• The size of the cards are approximately 3 by 5 inches. The card stock quality is fantastic and very durable. They have a slight matted touch to them. They are not ridged or flimsy.

• The cards are sturdy enough and shuffle gently. They are flexible and if you have small hands, it should not be a problem for you to shuffle the cards.

• The box in which the cards come in is sturdy and holds the cards and booklet absolutely well. The box is a magnetic box with ribbons that hold the flap and the box together.

• The companion book included with the cards is written by Richard ShadowFox and contains 256 pages that features a four page introduction that briefly talks about the tarot deck and what you will find within the cards. Then there are the pages dedicated for each card which include an image of the card, a lengthy but very informative upright and reversed interpretation of the cards. At the end of the book, there are 3 tarot spreads called Three Card Reading, Celtic Cross, and a lengthy but accurate one called Vincit Omnai Veritas (Truth Conquers All) which consist of 13 cards.

• The artwork is done by Richard ShadowFox. The medium for the art is CGI (computer generated imagery).

• This is a tarot deck that is interesting and the images provide a bit of symbolism and stays true to the Rider Waite system. The characters illustrated in the cards are lively and inviting. One minor issue that I had with this tarot deck is that the companion book does not explain what it is that the characters are doing in the cards. It does not give a background story about where this characters came from or why/how they were incorporated in the cards. This tarot deck is mysterious in a unique way. But none the less, this tarot deck is not gruesome or dark (don’t worry, it will not scare anyone off). IF you are put off by CGI art, at least acquire this tarot deck for the sake of the book. The book is very well informative without a doubt. If you wish to acquire yourself with this tarot deck, click here!

 

© 2010 – 2015 J. R. Rivera
Reproduction prohibited without written permission from the author.